First, let me put on my pedant hat (for the speeling lesson which follows below) and search enoteche - - to pull up this previous posting - - plagiarizing myself with the following:

(forgive me for the recycling)

from the thread "Wine Bar 101?"

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1308257

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Author: Rex (rbmd@usa.net)
Date: 07/16/2001, 09:22 pm

Message: Okay, since this is course "101", let's start with the orthography:

WINERY ==> WINERIES not ==> WINERYS

likewise

ENOTECA ==> ENOTECHE not ==> ENOTECAS

though I don't mean to imply that enoteca is a synonym for winery. And for what it's worth, I'm sure I have made this spelling mistake before also - - probably here on this forum, too!

The best ones I have visted (and sadly, I have failed to make note of the name of many of them) are not "bars" as we might ordinarily think of such, nor places where people go "to eat" - - though they DO sell wine by the glass, sometimes have (a few) tables - - and a variety of appropriate things to eat with wine, including panini (sandwiches) or actual piatti (courses). Some might be part formaggeria or salumeria, but most are first and foremost wine SHOPs.

I guess you can go anytime in the afternoon or evening (doesn't seem like a "morning" kind of activity to me) - - whenever they are open. For what it's worth, I have sometimes gone at what we might call "happy hour" - - and from there, went on to a restaurant carrying a half-dozen bottles in a shopping bag. And while I might not try this in a "fancy" restaurant, I have also asked the waiter if we could have one of my purchased bottles with our meal, and I have NOT gotten funny looks (probably some nominal fee for "corkage and the glasses was added to the bill - - don't remember, and I would have expected it).

Proprietors seem to think it entirely normal that you come to spend an hour or more there to talk about wine, taste wines, and of course buy wines. They often have a dozen or two bottles already open to sell you a glass, or offer you just a taste. And they will always open and pour for you what you buy - - especially after you sample your way through some they already have open and point them in the direction of "more like this..." or "like this, but not so... whatever..."

One of the few I can name for sure is Buccone on via di Ripetta (near Pzza del Popolo). I also vividly remember Alpinum in Salzburg (yes, I know - - NOT in Italy) - - and regrettably, I have forgotten the names of places I have visted in Venice, Verona and Tremezzo.

A search on Yahoo for enoteche will produce 1000's of hits, and tons of lists in various towns; many of these sites will be in Italian only, but usually a picture or two, the name address, telephone number - - what more do you need? and www.vinit.net has a listing for every province in Italy.

Best wishes,

Rex

up

The Enoteca Italiana in Siena is a wonderful place. Upstairs is the wine bar, downstairs is a museum of all the wines of Italy. We had a family lunch there but I think it was by special arrangement. It's in the walls of the old Medici fortress. Two other good ones in Montepulciano at the top of the town. In Italy there are few tastings at wineries. Wineries belong to a wine organization and that organization (can't remember the Italian term) will maintain an enoteca where the various wines can be tasted--and preferably purchased! Others are just run by one winery such as the Enoteca Antiniori in Florence. That's actually a nice little restaurant as well and you can pair wines by the glass with each course and share with each other to taste quite a few. So, typical to Italy it varies from place to place--few rules! Enjoy.

Any more?